Counter-illuminating room



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B. FRANCIS. 8 COUNTER ILLUMINATING ROOM.

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COUNTER ILLUMINATING ROOM. v No. 384,903. Patented June 19, 1888.

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COUNTER ILLUMINATING ROOM.

Patented June 19, 1888 I [lllllllllnlllul ll I III II [Ill/[III] KIIIIII/I/ I ggg gggggg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDMUND FRANCIS, OF AUSTIN, ILLINOIS.

COUNTER-ILLUMINATING ROOM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 384,903, dated June 19, 1888.

Application filed March 5, 1888.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, EDMUND FRANCIS, residing at Austin'yin the county of Cook and State of Illinois, and a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Counter-Illuminating Rooms, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view with a part of the side curtain and adjoining shelf broken away. Fig. 2 is a front elevation with some of the parts broken away, and also showing one mirror up and one down. Fig. 3 is asectional view on line 2 2 of Fig. 2.

In the mercantile business it is often necessary to show the effect of artificial lights upon articles being displayed-such as silks, woolens, plain and spangled tissues, jewelry, or other fancy articles-as well as the effect of daylight upon them, and it is very desirable that the change of light be easily and quickly made in the department of the store where the articles are stored, and that the articles be displayed with the least possible handling under the best arrangement of lights. 1

The object of my invention is to provide, in combination with shelving, an illuminatingroom wherein the effects of artificial light upon displayed goods can be readily shown, the parts of which room, when not in use, can be pushed back into or partly into and partly against the shelving, which I accomplish by providing, in combination with shelving, a movable frame which carries a curtain on each side and can be drawn out to form an illuminating-room, and when not in use can be pushed back, and by providing other devices, all as illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter described.

That which I claim as new will be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, A represents the ordinary counter of a store-room.

Bis the shelving of the sales-room for the goods.

0 are two vertical openings or' passages formed in the shelving at such distances apart to include the width of shelving andcounter which it is desired to include in the illuminating-room.

Serial No 266,127. (No model.)

D are side framepieces sliding into the ver tical slots 0 near the top, each piece D being supported by a guide, a, which is supported between grooved rollers b, which are supported in brackets c. The guides a may be on either side of the frame-piece D. l

E are end frame-pieces connecting the ends of the side pieces, D.

F are posts or standards, one at each front corner of the frame formed by the pieces D and E. These posts or standards F are provided with casters d, which rest/upon the counter A when the frame is drawn out.

H is a covering over the frame formed by the pieces D and E, and the frame thus formed and covered is supported by the guides a and rollers 1) between the upper shelf and the ceiling e of the salesroom, so that when the frame is drawn out, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the casters of the posts or standards F will rest upon the counter A, and when theframe is pushed back out of use the standards F will be in contact with the front of the shelving B, out of the way of the salesman. The grooved rollers b are arranged at such distances apart that the guide a will be supported by two sets while the casters d are passing to or from the counter A, thus preventing any sagging of the frame and insuring the easy sliding of the frame.

H are side curtains, made of velvet or other suitable material, attached to the side pieces,

D, and posts F, so arranged as to slide back into the openings 0 when the frame is pushed back out of use, as shown in Fig. 2.

I is a rope or cord, which is attached to the rear end piece E and passes over a pulley, f, at the rear of the opening between the upper shelf and ceiling e, then back to the front of the opening, so that by pulling on this rope I the frame can be drawn back out of use.

J is a rope or cord attached to the rear end piece E and extending out in front of shelving, by which rope or cord the frame can be pulled or drawn out.

K is a mirror arranged on the inside of the front end piece E, so as to reflect the light of the electric lamp g.

L is a sliding shelf arranged in the shelving B and held in place by a pin, h, which slides in a slot, '5, in the shelving.

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slide between the double shelving and are held in place by pins j, which slide in slots is, as shown in Fig. 3.

N are sliding rods for displaying goods.

In use the frame is drawn out by pulling on the cord J, so that the casters d of the posts or standards F will rest upon the counter A, and the curtains H close the sides, thus forming a room closed on all sides, except in front, where the spectator sits. The lamp 9 is lighted, and the light is reflected by the mirrors K and M onto the articles being displayed, thus showing the effects of the artificial lights upon the articles. Anykind of artificial light can be used, as desired. The arrangement of the light 9 and mirrors K and M in relation to the shelves L and rods N is such that the light will be thrown onto the articles, so that the person in front of the counter A will see the best effects of the light.

\Vhen the illuminatingroom is no longer desired, the mirrors M, shelves L, and rods N are pushed back into their places in the shelving, and then by pulling on the rope I the frame of the illuminating-room is drawn back into the opening above the shelving, the curtains passing into the openings 0.

As shown in Fig. 3, the device is in connection with a double row of shelving, which allows sufficient room for the side pieces, D, to pass entirely within the opening above the shelving; but it is evident that it can be used with a single row of shelves by shortening the pieces D or by using parallel interlocking bars or telescoping bars.

The room can be decorated as desired, and when in use or out of use it does not interfere with the other departments, and a black lining may be applied to the curtains.

I have shown and described that which I believe to be the best mechanism for producing the desired results; but certain modifica- \Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure I by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with the shelving 13, having vertical recesses O, of a sliding frame consisting of side pieces, D, movably supported in the upper part of said recesses and connected by end pieces, E, and the curtains H, supported by said frame, whereby, when said frame and curtains are drawn out in front of the shelving, a darkened room will be formed for the display of goods by artificial light, substantially as described. 7

2. The combination of the shelving B, having vertical recesses O, the sliding side pieces, D, inovably supported in the upper part of said recesses and connected by end pieces'E, the side curtains, H, supported by the side pieces, D, the mirror K, supported on the inner side of the front end piece E, the mirror M, supported by the shelving, and a lamp, g, whereby an artificially-illuminated room may be formed in front of the shelving when the curtains H and their supports are drawn out, substantial] y as described.

3. The combination, with the counter A and the shelving B, having vertical recesses O, of a sliding'frame composed of side pieces, D, inovably supported in the upper part of said recesses, the connecting end pieces, E, and the front corner posts, F, arranged to rest on the counter when the said frame is drawn out in front of the shelving, the side curtains, H, supported by the sliding frame, and the mirrors K M and lamp 9, located in the space incloscd by said frame and curtains, substautially as described.

EDMUND FRANCIS.

Vitnesses:

HARRY T. J oNEs, ALBERT H. ADAMS. 

